Louie4's YJ by Louie4

14 minute(s) of a 411 minute read

This update is dumb but I parallel parked today and I could really tell the difference in the steering. I am pleased and wish I would have found this arm sooner. I'm thinking a new steering shaft is in order but I may just sleeve my stock on to get some length. The box also has a little play but only side to side but it's also OEM from '93.

6-14-2013

Sure. I purchased a Teraflex knuckle from a guy in PA. He also supplied a used drag link that is solid 1.25" rod drilled and tapped. 7/8-18 one end and the stock TRE on the other (pitman). He also made me a 1.25" tie rod (.25" DOM) for use with the same 7/8-18 thread TRE's.

I'm running a sprung under the axle suspension so there will be clearance issues. I drilled out the Teraflex knuckle and installed goferit inserts for the larger TRE's. I flipped the tie rod for ground clearance and flipped the draglink under the knuckle arm for clearance to the frame. I also relocated my extended bumpstops to keep the drag link and frame from contacting on heavy compression.

With the new linkages and knuckle my dropped pitman arm was too low and running into the tie rod. I initially ran a shorty billet steel arm but lost a lot of turning radius. To get a longer arm I bought a Parts Mike steering box relocation bracket that moves the box forward 1" and inward 1/2". I eventually went to a TJ arm (2" drop, 5.5") with the new pitman to tie rod clearance but wasn't satisfied. Finally, JeeperDon mentioned the WJ arm being 6.5" long with the same 2" drop. I measured clearance to the tie rod and it just works. So I got to the JY, found the arm, and grinded the keys out and installed it to my liking.

Works great!

6-23-2013

Well I don't have any real updates. However, my buddies and I are wheeling at Adventure Off Road Park in TN July 26-28th. Should be a good ride and hopefully the park is fun.

I have thought about my future plans for the jeep and I figured I'd make a list on here to remember and stay on track.

SOA: I have a need for more articulation out of my jeep. I want to get some 0" lift springs or stock rears, maybe even Waggy springs. I already have the steering in place to make this possible. I would just flip my drag link to the top of the Tera flex arm. I will need a traction bar and a good way to mount it. I've seen many build threads about them so I will just have to do the research.

Dual Batteries: I am finding that I use a lot of juice when wheeling and just driving. I have the Taurus fan and I will wear the battery out with the winch. I also told my wife I would fix the A/C for her at some point. That means the fan will be running as well as the compressor and blower motor. So I think it's a must. I have been reading up on a few write-ups.

High amp alternator: I figure this will get lumped into the dual batteries. My current alternator is from a 1990 Cherokee that I swapped in after mine bit the dust. It's only a matter of time until this one goes.

35" x 12.50 Tires: I'm tired of 33's. They get the job done but I bash too many rocks.

High clearance skid: May get the UCF and get the one for better clearance. I already have a 1" body lift so that's a plus.

These upgrades probably won't happen until I'm finished with my masters this December. But once I'm done and have a full-time engineering job I will be acquiring a better welder and all the parts needed. I can currently make the dual battery tray so that might be the first thing I do.

9-8-2013

Well I haven't been on JF for a while nor have I done anything with the jeep. I did get all the A/C stuff installed, I just haven't taken it to a shop to get filled up with freon. It's getting cooler so I'm not as motivated. School and work have started to take over for the year but that's OK. I'm actually just enjoying driving the jeep now. Everything is pretty much tip top for daily driving and with cooler days and not as much rain it's nice.

After I'm finished with school and get another professional job around the new year I plan on getting a welder. I have also been on the lookout for an M8274 I can rebuild. I found one in SC but for $450 but it got snagged quick.

10-13-2013

Jeep news is still stagnant. Nothing really going on since I'm on the tail end of school and maybe on the verge of getting a full-time engineering job again.

However, if any of you are beer drinkers/brewers, my wife got me "paper" for our 1st anniversary that was last Sunday. Labels for our pumpkin beer!

We actually bottled it on our anniversary. This is our third batch. The first was a coffee stout then a hefeweizen. I think this one will be good.

12-1-2013

I guess this is update worthy. My wife's car crapped out on the way to Georgia (waterpump I suspect) so we took the jeep down and now it's my DD until I can get her's fixed. With that comes the little things you find that need replacing:

My spark plug wires shocked me a few days ago. I put my hand on the distributor cap to pinpoint a noise that was coming from the distributor. Then I remembered those wires are over 10 years old. I stuck an insulated screwdriver on the coil wire and could hear it arcing so time for new ones. As for the noise, I took the cap off and sprayed some WD-40 and wiped it all down. It's quiet now but I may look for a junkyard replacement to keep on hand.

My engine mounts look like doo doo. I saw this coming but it needs to be fixed. I PM'ed Browndog about his opinion on rubber vs poly and what he recommends. Once I get a few paychecks I'll be placing my order.

My radio is losing power intermittently and resetting...this annoys me.

So for now the jeep is my main ride but for about 3 days it was our only ride because my Civic was getting painted due to a recall.

In other news I may be relocating to one of 5 cities: Raleigh, Seattle, Fort Collins, Madison (WS), or Palo Alto. Hoping for Raleigh but will take Fort Collins maybe Seattle...maybe.

12-9-2013

I definitely will if we end up there.

I put on a new set of wires from Napa this evening. They seem to make the engine more responsive but we'll see when I get on the road.

I also dropped about $300 on my wife's car. Her waterpump went out in the Jetta so I got a timing kit and a new thermostat. I decided not to put in the Autozone reman'd stuff like my jeep has.

Here's a pic of the old wire set. That red one is one my buddy made for me from his make your own set. He did that when we were sophomores or juniors in high school which was about 10-11 years ago. I looked in the boots and some were corroded or a little rusty. I actually ripped a couple apart getting them out.

12-22-2013

I figure I would post up to update and maybe get opinions.

First off, I graduated with my Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee last week. I am glad to be done and I feel like a heavy weight has been lifted. I don't think I ever really had the desire to do any jeep work because I was always preoccupied with school. Well now that I'm done I can start tinkering and hopefully doing some real mods once I find a full-time engineering job. I must say, I never thought I would be getting a degree from the Big Orange but stranger things have happened. I suppose I will start pulling for them as long as they are not playing Georgia.

As of now I plan on pulling the t-case and transmission. I need a new pilot bearing as I never replaced the disintegrated one years ago (I was dumb). I also want to put a true neutral plate in the t-case in the event I start flat towing or using a dolly. Oh and I think I will try and find an AX-15 bellhousing with the external slave but that depends on whether I find one and if the price is right. I'm also going to order some of these LED bolts just to have for back-up lights to let people know I'm backing up...not to actually see in the dark.

1-1-2014

I got my LED bolt lights in the other day and I did most of the wiring inside because I have a cold and it's a bit nippy outside. I did manage to hook one up and it's bright as hell.

I plan on putting them on the inside of the tail lights having one on top and then bottom kind of like this ==> O: :O

1-4-2014

Got my LED lights installed. It was pretty straight forward and I'm very satisfied with the results.

Here is the start of my install. I had to make a connector to wire the single reverse hot wire to both lights.

Here it is illuminated.

Both lit up.

1-5-2014

Well I changed the oil in the jeep. I don't remember the last time I did but it's been a while. I also just placed an order for a true neutral shift mode selector for my NP231. I want to have the option of flat towing if I need to.

1-20-2014

Well I went to the junkyard today and didn't have much luck. I was hunting a steel 4.0L valve cover from a newer Cherokee or Grand Cherokee. It seems like I saw them everywhere when I didn't need one. Well I found a couple but the grommets were damaged and/or the fittings were broken/gone and no plumbing to the airbox or intake manifold so I'll wait. Strangely enough, I popped the hood on the jeep and noticed the fresh air hose was oily. I changed the oil a week ago and it seemed to have it on fresh air tube. So I may need one. I will probably just wait a while and go back to pull-a-part after they get more Cherokees in.

I also saw these at the Pull-a-part. Very surprised. One was a '52 and the other a '58.

I noticed on the '52 it had coils and leafs. Weird.

1-21-2014

I'm working on getting a complete external slave kit minus the slave cylinder from StanF on the site. Still waiting on my true neutral plate.

Here is what StanF was selling:

1-26-2014

Been getting more traction on the jeep. I bought a new stock tail pipe from Autozone for $25.99 plus tax. It will be here tomorrow. I got it because I chopped my tail pipe right above the rear axle because the first wheeling trip I went on after getting the exhaust redone I backed off a hill and the tail pipe caught the dirt and bent down 90 degrees. Luckily a buddy of mine had a battery powered angle grinder with a cut off wheel.

I also took some stickers off today because they were peeling around the edge and faded.

How it looked:

Now:

I also added one. Used to have this one on my old windshield...two windshields ago to be precise.

I also cleaned up the Saab inline radiator hose adapter. I want to put the Porsche temp switch to control my low and high fan speeds.

How it looked:

Cleaned:

1-27-2014

Picked up my tail pipe and painted the Saab hose adapter.

1-28-2014

Interesting weather today. It started snowing at 11am and it hasn't stopped yet. Luckily I drove the jeep today as the roads weren't too great.

My jeep at lunch:

My jeep when I went home (notice headlights):

I got home and pulled the honda into the garage and off the road so no one would slide into it: